Method for displaying location of cellular phone caller

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a method for displaying the location of a cellular phone caller. In the present method, a caller&#39;s cellular phone transmits a short message preset by a cellular base station to the base station through an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) function by using a cellular phone and selects to start or stop a function for informing the location of a caller to a phone answerer. When a phone call is made and the location informing function is stopped, the base station transmits no caller location information to an answerer&#39;s cellular phone. If the location informing function is activated, the base station uses a positioning technology to calculate position coordinates of the caller. And then, the base station compares the position coordinates with a location data stored in a position coordinate data base of the base station and transforms the location to a closest address so as to display the caller&#39;s address in the answerer&#39;s phone by a Class 0 SMS (short message system).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for displaying the location of a cellular phone caller, particular to a method for displaying location of cellular phone caller by using an “Unstructured Supplementary Service Data” function in the GSM to display the caller's address in the answerer's phone by a Class 0 short message (SMS).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Till now, cellular phone only display a caller's name and phone number on the display screen of a cellular phone. The location of a caller can not be known from the screen so that the requirement of tracking and safety cannot be attained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for displaying the location of a cellular phone caller, enabling the caller's positioned location to be transmitted to an answerer's cellular phone through a Class 0 short message (SMS) and to be displayed ton the display screen of the answerer's cellular phone in characters. Therefore, the method according to the present invention can be used to show a location of a caller on the display screen in addition to the caller's phone number. According to the method, a cellular phone user can use a cellular phone to transmit a short message preset by a cellular base station to the base station through an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) function and selects to start or stop a function for informing the location of a caller to a phone answerer that the caller intends to make a phone call to.

The other object of the present invention is to provide a method for displaying location of cellular phone caller, which can inform the answerer of the location of a caller to attain a tracking and safety requirements.

The further object of the present invention is to provide a method for displaying location of cellular phone caller, which is suitable for any cellular phone having SMS function and unnecessary to cost more on developing a cellular phone with new functions.

These objects and the other objects, features, and advantages will be apparent to those people skilled in the art from the following detailed description in connection with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a cellular network system structure having a positioning function and a position coordinate database according the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a flow chart showing procedures of a method for starting or stopping a function for informing the location of a caller to a phone answerer according to the present invention;

FIG. 2B shows pictures on the screen of a cellular phone corresponding to each step in FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A is a flow chart showing procedures of a method for informing the location of a caller to a phone answerer according to the present invention; and

FIG. 3B shows pictures on the screen of a cellular phone corresponding to each step in FIG. 3A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

First of all, please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows a cellular network system structure having a positioning function and a position coordinate database according to the present invention. From FIG. 1, when a cellular phone caller B makes a phone call to a cellular phone answerer A, the call goes to a cellular phone base station 2 via a cellular phone net 1 first. The base station 2 checks whether the cellular phone caller B has started the function for informing the location of a caller to a phone answerer. If so, the base station 2 starts to calculate position coordinates of the caller by using a positioning technology (for example, Global Positioning System (GPS), three points positioning technology or base station positioning technology, etc.). Then, the base station 2 compares the calculated position coordinates of the caller with a location data stored in a position coordinate database to determine the location on a map. Thereafter, the base station 2 sends a short message (SMS) indicating the location of a caller to the answerer's cellular phone.

Next, please refer to FIG. 2A. FIG. 2A is a flow chart showing the procedures of the method for starting or stopping a function for informing the location of a caller to a phone answerer according to the present invention. A cellular phone user transmits a short message preset by a cellular base station to the base station to start or stop a function for informing the location of a caller to a phone answerer. (Herein presuming that a short message “*331#” means to start the function for informing the location of a caller, and a short message “330#” means to stop the function for informing the location of a caller) According to the procedures, if a cellular phone user sends a short message “*331#” to the base station (Step S21, its corresponding picture on the screen is shown in FIG. 2B, P21), the base station starts the function for informing the location of a caller (Step S22). Conversely, if a cellular phone user sends a short message “*330#” to the base station (Step S23, its corresponding picture on the screen is shown in FIG. 2B, P23), the base station stops the function for informing the location of a caller (Step S24). In either case, the base station will inform the user of function setting completion (Step S25). At the same time, the cellular phone will show that the function setting is completed (Step S26, its corresponding picture on the screen is shown in FIG. 2B, P26).

Finally, please refer to FIG. 3A. FIG. 3A is a flow chart showing the procedures of a method for informing the location of a caller to a phone answerer according to the present invention. First at all, the cellular phone B (a caller) is in an idle mode. At this time, a user makes a phone call from the cellular phone B to an answerer's cellular phone A (phone number 0937123456) (Step S311, its corresponding picture on the screen is shown in FIG. 3B, P311). The call is first sent to a cellular base station and the base station checks whether the cellular phone B has started the function for informing the location of a caller (Step S312). If yes, the base station searches a position of the cellular phone B and calculates the caller's position coordinates (Step S313). The position coordinate database stored in the base station transfers the position coordinates to an address (Step S314). Thereafter, the base station starts a call connection procedure (Step S315, its corresponding picture on the screen is shown in FIG. 3B, P315). Then, the base station checks whether the connection is completed (Step S316). If not, the cellular phone enters an idle mode. If yes, the answerer's cellular phone rings (Step S317, its corresponding picture on the screen is shown in FIG. 3B, P317). At this time, the answerer's cellular phone shows the name and phone number of the caller on the screen as a conventional cellular phone. Also, the base station sends the location of a caller to the answerer's cellular phone through a Class 0 short message system (Step S318). After receiving a SMS containing the location, the answerer's cellular phone displays the location in a character form on the screen thereof (Step S319, its corresponding picture on the screen is shown in FIG. 3B, P319). Then, the answerer's cellular phone is waiting for an answerer. After Step S312, if the base station checks out the cellular phone B has not started the function for informing the location of a caller (Step S320), the base station starts proceeding a conventional dialing. In this time, the base station checks whether the call is connected (Step S321). If not, the cellular phone enters an idle mode. If the call is connected, the answerer's cellular phone rings (Step S322, its corresponding picture on the screen is shown in FIG. 3B, P315) to mention an incoming phone call.

Although the present invention has been described by the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited by the embodiment. Person skilled in the art would make various changes or modification without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention. The present invention is only limited by the appended claims. 

1-7. (canceled)
 8. A method for displaying a location of a first communication device on a second communication device, the method comprising: detecting a call from the first communication device to the second communication device; determining whether transmitting the location of the first communication device to the second communication device has been authorized; if transmitting the location of the first communication device has been authorized— determining the location of the first communication device; connecting the call from the first communication device to the second communication device; and transmitting the location of the first communication device to the second communication device to be displayed on the second communication device; and if transmitting the location of the first communication device has not been authorized, connecting the call from the first communication device to the second communication device without transmitting the location of the first communication device.
 9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining whether transmitting the location of the first communication device to the second communication device has been authorized includes receiving an indication from the first communication device allowing the location of the first communication device to be transmitted.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein receiving an indication from the first communication device includes receiving an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) message including the authorization.
 11. The method of claim 8 wherein determining the location of the first communication device includes calculating position coordinates of the first communication device using a positioning technology and comparing the position coordinates to location data stored in a position coordinates database.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein using a positioning technology includes using at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS), three points positioning technology or base station positioning technology.
 13. The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting the location of the first communication device to the second communication device includes transmitting an address of the first communication device to the second communication device.
 14. The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting the location of the first communication device to the second communication device includes transmitting the location in a Class 0 SMS to the second communication device.
 15. The method of claim 8 wherein transmitting the location of the first communication device to the second communication device includes transmitting the location while the second communication device is ringing.
 16. The method of claim 8 wherein the first communication device is a first cellular phone and the second communication device is a second cellular phone.
 17. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending a confirmation of the transmitting to the first device.
 18. The method of claim 8, further comprising transmitting a preset instruction separate from the call to authorize or deauthorize transmitting the location.
 19. A system for facilitating communication between a first communication device and a second communication device, the system comprising: means for detecting a call from the first communication device to the second communication device; means for determining authorization to transmit the location of the first communication device to the second communication device; means for connecting the call from the first communication device to the second communication device; means for locating the position of the first communication device when transmitting the location of the first communication device to the second communication device has been authorized; and means for transmitting the location of the first communication device to the second communication device when transmitting the location of the first communication device to the second communication device has been authorized.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the means for determining authorization includes a base station configured to receive a message through an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) from the first communication device to start or stop a function for transmitting the location of the first communication device to the second communication device.
 21. The method of claim 19 wherein the means for locating the position of the first communication device includes a positioning technology application operably coupled to a position coordinates database containing location data.
 22. The method of claim 19 wherein the means for transmitting the location of the first communication device to the second communication device includes a base station configured to relay a Class 0 SMS from the first communication device to the second communication device.
 23. A system, comprising: a first computing device comprising a processor and memory, wherein the first computing device is configured to place and receive telephone calls and SMS (short message service) messages; a location identifying component configured to identify a location of the computing device, wherein the computing device is configured to receive instructions whether to provide a location of the computing device to a second computing device as the first computing device places a telephone call to the second computing device; an address calculating component configured to calculate an address from the location; and a location delivery component configured to deliver a SMS message with the address if the instructions are to deliver the location of the computing device, wherein the location delivery component is further configured to not deliver the SMS message if the instructions are to not deliver the location of the computing device.
 24. The system of claim 23 wherein the SMS message comprises a class 0 SMS message.
 25. The system of claim 23 wherein the SMS is transmitted through an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) function.
 26. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising: instructions for transmitting a short message from a mobile computing device to toggle on or off a function for providing a location of the mobile computing device; instructions for transmitting a phone call from the first mobile computing device to a phone; instructions for obtaining a location of the mobile communication device; instructions for, if the function is toggled on, providing the location to the phone by sending a Class 0 SMS (short message system) message with the location; and instructions for, if the function is toggled off, connecting the phone call without providing the location to the phone.
 27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26, further comprising instructions for toggling the function on or off. 